European Conservatives: united against François Hollande?

According to the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Angela Merkel and her Conservative European counterparts have a secret agreement: they will not meet Nicolas Sarkozy's main challenger in France's presidential election, François Hollande. The centre-right leaders are believed to be boycotting the Socialist presidential candidate, as there is concern over Hollande's desire to renegotiate the hard-won fiscal compact.

Irish in origin, French by adoption, she is a senior reporter who has sent stories from all four corners of the world. In 2015 she turned her focus to her home continent to see what is and is not working in Europe.

CHRISTOPHE ROBEETEurope Editor, France 24

The sceptics say Europe is not sexy, but he believes that understanding how the EU works (or fails) is essential. That's why he has decided to meet those who make and shape this continent of 500 million people.